Praveen Kumar scored with his well-nuanced portrayal at Natyarangam’s Acharya Bharatham festival

At Natyarangam’s 27th annual thematic Bharatanatyam festival Acharya Bharatham, held at Sathguru Gnanananda Hall, Praveen Kumar, who performed on August 16, paid a rich, meditative homage to Madhvacharya. With a performance that was both intellectually charged and viscerally moving, Praveen Kumar, who portrayed the Acharya, seamlessly brought together philosophy, narrative and aesthetic.

The evening opened with a soulful composition, a fitting tribute to Madhvacharya’s familial devotion, and how it shaped his early life. Against a silhouette poster and under a calm blue spotlight, the dancer emerged in a simple white dhoti, striking a contemplative pose that set the tone for the evening. Throughout the performance, visual minimalism was balanced by emotional and physical dynamism.

The highlight of the performance was the narration, interwoven between the pieces, an evocative script that reflected Madhvacharya’s philosophical lineage as the third avatar of Vayu, and tracing his descent from Hanuman and Bhima to Madhvacharya. These transitions were not just spoken; they were embodied. The dancer’s flexibility, particularly in portraying animal forms and divine energies, lent credibility to these celestial connections.

Wearing a kurta and turban, Praveen Kumar assumed the role of the wandering sage.
| Photo Credit:
SRINATH M

Switching into a kurta and turban while holding a tambura, Praveen Kumar assumed the role of the wandering sage, becoming both the seeker and the knower. Using a refined vocabulary of karanas and bhedas, he delineated complex philosophical ideas — the soul’s search for the divine, the dualistic clarity of Dvaita Vedanta — and portrayed Hari not as a god, but as a friend who walks with us, protects us, and even laughs with us.

The Prahlada-Hiranyakashipu episode was rendered with emotional clarity — the stillness of devotion against the turbulence of tyranny. Likewise, Lakshmana’s silent strength, his shadowing of Rama through exile and war, became a metaphor for unwavering service without expectation. These vignettes emphasised Madhvacharya’s core values: dharma, duty, and bhakti in its most disciplined form.

The performance asked: Who is God? Where do we find Him? Through dance, Praveen showed that divinity lives in all.. Echoing Krishna at Govardhan, he reminded us that God is not distant, but present in nature and in the people around us. To honour the divine, we must protect and cherish both.

The production closed on a powerful note, with the dancer reminding us of the timeless relevance of devotion rooted in wisdom.

The orchestra for the evening featured vocalist Pradesh Achar, nattuvangam by Navyashree K N, mridangam and tabla by Anoop Vinodh Shyam, flute by Mahesh Swamy, and lighting by T M Nagaraj.